It’s that special time of year again – Idaho Public TV (IdahoPTV) is inflicting the state with “Festival 2007″ and asking you to dig deep to support their unequaled programming.

Let’s see – the federal government supported the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) to the tune of more than $400,000,000 in 2006. That would be $400 million of your tax dollars. (Cuts in future budgets have been proposed, but failed, due to tireless lobbying by PBS-inflamed viewers.)

The State of Idaho also gives hundreds of thousands of dollars to Idaho Public Television, an affiliate of PBS. That would be hundreds of thousands of your tax dollars.

And it’s called “public” television, supposedly free from the commercialism the for-profit stations inundate us with. And yet at the beginning or end (or both) of nearly every program, I am treated to a not-for-profit commercial. That sounds like an oxymoron because it is.

Will I call in a pledge during “Festival 2007″? Not necessary. I’ve already given twice, involuntarily, whether I watch a single minute of IdahoPTV or not. In fact, if I don’t contribute, through non-payment of taxes, I could go to jail.

I think I’ll call my current level of support good enough.